Carton



Oct. 23, 1945. w, cox 2,387,314

CARTON Filed Dec. 22, 1941, 2 Sheets-Sheet l 20 1.9 INVENTOR.

R Oct. 23,1945.

J. W. COX

CARTON Filed Dec; 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVLENTOR. kiarz W. (070 Patented Oct. 23., 1945 2,387,314

John W. Chicago, Ill., assignor to Self-Lock- 11111: Carton 00., Chicago. Ill., a corporation of UNITED STATE Application December 22, 1941, Serial No. 423,885

2 Claims. (c1. 229-28) This invention relates to improvements in cartons for packing fragile articles such as eggs. .More particularly it pertains to collapsible cellular cartons such asmay be formed from a unitary to the following detailed description taken in connection with the which i Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating a preferred form of die-cut and scored rectangular blank to 55 accompanying drawings, in

be folded to form a knocked-down container embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view depicting the completed container in knocked-down form, but parbl nk 'f p p r or similar sheet f mat rial tially unfolded, to show the folds and glue points; and having correlated features for automatically Fig. 3 i a perspective view with the cover l ck n n bracing i in -up condition in broken away, illustrating an initial step in erectwhich it will effectively retain, protect and cushion ing the container showing the body fully excontained eggs. panded and the end transverse partitions oppo- A general Object of the inv ntion is e I IO- sitely drawn into interlocking engagement with vision of a carton which is simple yet sturdy and the longitudinal partition; I durable in construction, economical in material Fig, 4 is a similar perspective view illustrating nd Cost Of m n fa tur adapted t be ithe carton completely erected, with all partitions cated in a flattened or collapsed condition in interlocked; which it may be shipped conveniently, and 8118- Fig. 5 is an end view of the set up carton shown ceptible of being quickly and easily set up in conin Fig. 4, illustrating particularly the bottom exdition for reception of the intended articles and tension cushioning members; and of being easily closed and secured, without the Fig. 6 is an end view similar to Fig. 5 illustratuse of machines or other mechanical coning the completed and filled carton with the cover trivances. 4 in closed and locked position and serving to Specifically, it is an object of the invention to illustrate how the foot elements of the longitudiprovide such a container-having a central longinal and transverse partition members sustain tudinal partition and a plurality of transverse the bottom, and the top spacers act as cushioning partitions, all formed in a unitary blank and so supports under the cover. related as to provide interlocking members and '25 In Fig'. i of the drawings there'is illustrated a buttresses adapted to engage, support and secure generally rectangular blank which has been dieone another in erected positions wherein they cut and scored to form a glue fiap iii, a cover ll, cooperate with the side, top and bottom walls a cover locking flap l2, side walls It, I8, bottom of the carton to form compartments or cells and sections'l l, l4. and a plurality of cross or trans- I to sustain the carton in stable set-up condition. verse partitions I5. The bottom sections ll, M More specifically, an object of the present inare set off by crease lines a from a central strip vention is the provision of a collapsible cellular it which is creased radially and die-cut to provide carton formed of a unitary sheet and having a a series of bilaterally symmetrical apertures and central longitudinal partition cut out to provide form retaining members l1 and latching memopenings into which transverse partitions may bers it, all positioned so that the symmetrically be swung into retentive engagement with retainopposed ones will be caused to coincide by folding ing fingers shaped to form hooks below the ridge; the central strip it along its longitudinal median of the longitudinal partition so that the latter line. The strip may be secured by adhesive in affords series of backbone supports for the transsuch folded condition to form a longitudinal parverse partitions, the backbone supports and retition carrying groups of longitudinally extendtaining fingers serving to maintain the longitudiing retaining fingers orhooks l1 spaced internal partition in upright position and in alignmediatethe topand bottom margins of the longiment as and after the positioning of the trans; tudinalpartition. These retaining fingers preferverse partitions take place. ably have straight upper edges spaced below the These and other objects of the invention win upper edge ofjthe longitudinal partition. The in part be apparent and will in part appear her'eunder edge of each retaining fingerpreferably is inafter from a consideration of the following decurved to permit ready positioning of I each of. scribed preferred embodiment. the transverse partitionsas hereinafter described. For a fuller understanding ofthe nature and" important feature of the construction is the objects of the invention reference may be had provision of backbone supports formed of the strips l6 remaining between the cut-out portions in the longitudinal partition. These backbone supports provide abutting and bracing members adjacent the upright planes of the cross partitions for cooperation with the sides of the cross tions thereof are rotated in the setting up operation. The backbones also guide the transverse partitions to aid entry of the retaining fingers in the openings thereof. Along each side of the central section It additional foot lugs 20 are formed as lateral extensions of said sections, and cushion tabs N are partially cut from bottom sections 14 but remain hingediy attached thereto. Also in the bottom section l4, I4 are formed slotted apertures 2| which, together with the lugs l9 and 20, will have their functions more fully set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the series of cross partitions II, it will be seen that certain of .them have been provided centrally with a triangular opening 22 and that two of the inner cross partitions have angular notches 23. Those cross partitions having the triangular openings also have extending lugs or feet 24; and all except the two end cross partitions are also provided with a top extension 25.

Referring now to the carton as shown in knockdown or collapsed condition in Fig. 2, it willbe seen in the slightly expanded position thereof that the blank of Fig. 1 has been fo1ded-along the score or crease lines there indicated by dotted lines. a, b, c, d, e and .f, in a manner such that the glue flap I is laid flat against the inner surface of the side wall l3 throughout the length thereof from one side of the blank to the other, and that the longitudinal partition panel l6 has been folded along its central line a so that its symmetrical halves are in register. The glue flap is adhesively affixed to the wall IS in that position. and the abutted halves of the longitudinal partition members l8 are glued to each other down to the fold lines I) to form a two ply central longitudinal partition having a. series of aligned intermediately disposed retaining elements or fingers I! each directed toward the middle of the receptacle, leaving the bottom sections l4, l4 free to swing apart or expand to form the receptaole bottom.

In Fig. 3 it will now be seen that the receptacle has been fully expanded or unfolded widthwise and that the endmost cross partitions have been swung to vertical positions on hinge lines g along triangular webs 26 by which each cross partition is connected at one end to side wall section l3 and at its other end to glue strip I 0 (see also Fig. 4). At this position of the transverse partitions. their extending appendages or feet 24 have been snapped into and extend through the slotted apertures 2| and retain said partitions upright, and the two-ply retaining members I! of the longitudinal partition l6 extend through the triangular openings 22, and, bearing on the lower margins of said openings, hold the cross partitions down. By similar manipulation the remaining cross partitions are likewise brought into latched set-up position. For example, an opera-.

tor, by inserting the index and middle fingers of each hand on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition in each pair of end compartments and by drawing the hands in opposite directions against the endmost transverse partitions, will rotate the latter to the positions shown in Fig. 3. The operation is repeated with the two next succeeding transverse partitions from each end of the carton and finally the middle transverse partition is similarly swung down and latched behind the upstanding projection I 8. It will be appre- 2,887,314 partitions extending above the retaining fingers.-

ciated that after the carton is unfolded widthwise, these operations may be performed by a few quick movements of both hands working simultaneously. so that the carton may be quickly set up in condition for filling.

Fig. 4 shows thereceptacle set up and ready for filling and illustrates how the retaining members I! are engaged in the triangular openings 22 to retain the transverse partitions with their extending feet 24 passing through the apertures 2|. The angular cut-out portions 23, however, are not engaged by retaining members ll, but after frictionally engaging and passing along the cam-like top surfaces of member l8, snap into the deeper notches at the ends thereof. where they seat and are firmly retained in position. By further reference to Figs. 5 and 6 it will be observed that thelugs or feet 20 of the longitudinal partition now are projected vertically downwardly from the medial line of the bottom to a point which is in line with or substantially flush with the ground line or bottom edges of the side walls I4l4', especially when the carton is filled, and there to support almost all of the area of the bottom sections away from the supporting surface so that they act as cushioning members. The cross partitions IS, with the exception of the endmost ones, extend above the longitudinal partition elements [6' by virtue of the extensions 25.

In Fig. 6 it will be seen that the cover I I is held spaced from the contents of the container by virtue of the extension members 25 of the cross partition so that downward shock or thrust received by the cover is transmitted through those partitions and to the supporting surface through their feet 24 which extend through the bottom slots 2|. Likewise, any downward pressures received by .the central partition member l6 are transmitted to the supporting surface through its feet 20. Accordingly, the contents, of the carton are effectively safeguarded from crushing pressures by the vertically disposed partition members. Eggs placed in the cells are held apart from one another by the partitions, including the retaining members ll of the longitudinal partition, and they are cushioned from the supporting surface by the elevated bottom sections 14 and I4. The apertures in those sections formed by displacement of the feet 20 and tabs I9 are adapted to receive and locate the pointsof eggs which rest on those tabs, said tabs contributing an auxiliary cushioning effect. The cover is secured in the closed position illustrated in Fig. 6 by engagement of the hooks of the locking strip l2 under some of the gusset ledges 26.

By virtue of the interlocking cooperation of the cross partitions with the longitudinal partition and bottom sections, the parts are securely retained in their set-up relationship, wherein the partition members stand in vertical planes so as to constitute effective load-carrying members which relieve the side walls and bottom sections of vertical thrust, the longitudinal partition elements l6 cooperating with the top extensions 25 to brace the latter against flexing under weight imposed on the cover. In its set-up condition and with the cover closed, the carton will be quite stable and stiff and will afford effective protection for its contents.

It will thus be seen that by means of the present invention the objects hereinbefore specified are attained, and since certain changes may be made in the above described construction, and differentv embodimentsof the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof,

it is intended that all mattercontalned in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover the invention in its generic and specific aspects.

What I claim is:

1. A knock-down cellular carton, comprising oppositely arranged side walls, cross partitions attached at their ends to said walls in a series and hinged above their centers to swing. downwardly from generally horizontal positions to spaced upright positions, a longitudinal partition joined to said side walls by bottom wall sections and having longitudinally directed retaining members traversing the upright planes of said cross partitions and also having upstanding bracing members extending above the planes of the hinges and tops of said retaining members adjacent the upright planes of said cross partitions, at least some of said cross partitions having medial apertures spaced from their upper and lower margins and located to receive said retaining, members as the cross partitions are swung to upright positions, said cross partitions also having upwardly extending portions above said apertures in position to abut said bracing members when the cross partitions are in upright positions.

2. A collapsible cellular carton, comprising oppositely disposed side walls, cross partitions having their opposite ends hinged to upper portions of said walls to permit said cross partitions to swing from positions along the upper ends of the side walls to upright position between the side walls, a longitudinal partition joined to said walls by bottom sections and having longitudinally extending slots in which portions of said cross partitions may be engaged when swung to upright positions, said bottom sections having slots disposed to receive lower end portions of at least some of the cross partitions when same are standing in upright positions, the longitudinal partition and at least some 01 the cross partitions having portions interengageable to retain the cross partitions against withdrawal upwardly from the bottom sections, and upstanding bracing members on said longitudinal partition extending upwardly in abutting relation with portions of the cross partitions above their hinge line.

' JOHN W. COX. 

